M. Crane – “Cate In A Violent World”

M. Crane is an alternative indie rock band from Tucson, Arizona. They are made up of five members, Nick Maskill, Kyle Rosas, Andrew Lobo, Gaby Lisk, and Josiah Rodriguez. They have used their emotive vocals and dreamy soundscapes to establish themselves as a unique voice in their southwest desert home. M. Crane officially formed in 2015 and the release of their first EP drew comparisons to acts such as Muse and Mars Volta. Tucson Weekly stated that their music encapsulates a “moody, broody ambience decorated with cold and faraway feeling textures”. In their own words, the band says, “This music is honest about pain and beauty. It’s for lovers, thinkers, poets, stoners, mothers, zealots, our idols, and not for them too.”M. Crane released their first two EPS in 2016 and have toured the Southwest United States extensively, steadily growing their fan base. They are preparing to release their first full album, “King She”, later this year. In August 2018, M. Crane released the Matt Cole directed video for their song “Cate In A Violent World”.

The song starts right away with a punchy shuffling drum pattern that is then joined by ethereal instrumentation. Light guitar chords strum through a complex and emotional melodic structure while piano notes dance on top of the framework that is supported by a rumbling bass. The light falsetto of the vocals is a nice contrast to the deepness of the music and pulls the melody around into interesting places. After building momentum through a couple rotations of the verse, the band kicks into high gear. The crash of the drums doubles in size and the eerie tones ring out while guitars and bass drive the chorus into full-on arena rock mode; the vocals becoming more intense and powerful, stretching out musically showcasing the personality and unique talents of the singer. The band then explodes into an instrumental break flooded with psychedelic euphoria before quickly dropping back into a tight and mellow musical section where the emotive operatic vocals swim around the melody. They shoot straight back up into a screeching instrumental break that uses chaotic noise rock as a pathway to reach the harmonious crescendo, ending the song with every instrument and vocal layer firing on all cylinders.

The visuals of the video perfectly match the wonderful peculiarity and intensity of the song. It consists of a woman observing a series of strange scenes depicting other people engaged in seemingly unsettling and sometimes ugly behaviors. Her peaceful beauty is set against the violence and hostility of the other characters in the same way the song mixes beautiful melodies with loud and frenzied music. The imagery shows innocence surrounded by a world of viciousness. The evolving plots of these scenes inflict an inquisitive feeling, making whoever is ingesting this art question the meanings behind it, each person ultimately finding their own answers. This is a flawless display of the way good art can simultaneously make statements about the world while also asking important questions. You can watch the Video for “Cate In A Violent World” and follow M. Crane on the links below. You can also listen to the song on our Prime Cuts Playlists on Spotify and Youtube. Please continue to support artists like M. Crane and share this music with everyone you know.